29 copycat fast food favorites so you can bypass the drive-thru

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Say goodbye to the takeout menus and hello to your kitchen! Here are 29 mind-blowing copycat recipes of your favorite fast food items.

These recipes offer the familiar flavors of your beloved fast-food classics but with a personal touch, and without leaving the comfort of your home. These recipes save you time and money while delivering up tasty food your family will love.

Panda Express Mongolian Beef

Closeup of crispy beef in a bowl with green onions and sesame seeds.
Panda Express Mongolian Beef. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Crispy beef is coated in a sweet sauce, just like you’d get at a P.F. Chang’s, and it is ready in only 20 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Mongolian Beef

Popeye’s Strawberry Biscuits

Get the taste of Popeye’s famous strawberry biscuits right in your own kitchen! These copycat biscuits are fluffy, buttery, and loaded with juicy strawberries. They make a perfect sweet treat for breakfast or brunch, and the recipe is easy to follow. Enjoy a taste of nostalgia without leaving your home.
Get the Recipe: Popeye’s Strawberry Biscuits

Chick-Fil-A Lemonade

Who needs a drive-thru when you can make Chick-fil-a Lemonade at home? This recipe nails that balance between tart and sweet, creating a thirst-quenching treat that tastes just like the original. Plus, it’s made with only three simple ingredients, proving that great flavor doesn’t have to be complicated.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Lemonade

Chipotle Barbacoa

Barbacoa tacos on a tray topped with peppers and onions.
Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

This copycat Chipotle Barbacoa is delicious. The slow cooker does all the work, making the beef so tender and flavorful it practically melts in your mouth. Pile it onto a burrito bowl or into tacos.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Chick-Fil-A Polynesian Sauce

This Polynesian sauce is a copycat recipe of the popular Chick-Fil-A Polynesian sauce and is a sweet and sour sauce with a bit of tangy flavor.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Polynesian Sauce

McDonald’s Mango Pineapple Smoothie

This Mango Pineapple Smoothie is even better than the one you can get at McDonald’s. With Greek yogurt, almond milk and frozen fruit, this easy blender breakfast is a great way to start the day.
Get the Recipe: McDonald’s Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

This popular sauce is a combination of honey mustard with BBQ sauce that has a distinctive tangy, sweet, and smoky flavor.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Smashburger Smash Burgers

Smash burgers are outdoor griddling 101. Super fast and super delicious, these thin burger patties are caramelized with crispy edges that are so beefy and so darn good. Stack ’em 2 or 3 high and change your burger game for the better!
Get the Recipe: Smashburger Smash Burgers

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice

Craving the irresistible goodness of Chipotle’s cilantro lime rice? Now you can recreate that magic at home with our Copycat Chipotle recipe! This fluffy and fragrant rice is the perfect sidekick to any Mexican-inspired meal.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice

Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes in a white ramekin topped with sour cream and green onions.
Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

This is one of Taco Bell’s most popular menu items, and these addicting potatoes offer everything people love about the original – crispy, spicy potatoes covered with cheesy goodness.
Get the Recipe: Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Chick-Fil-A Creamy Salsa Dressing

This creamy salsa dressing is a perfect copycat for the popular Chick-Fil-A dressing. It’s a delicious, tangy condiment perfect for salads, as a dip, or drizzled over your favorite Mexican dishes!
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Creamy Salsa Dressing

In-N-Out Animal Sauce

It’s thick, it’s flavorful, it’s perfect on fries and burgers and more, AND you don’t have to go to a fast-food restaruant to get your hands on Animal Sauce! Made eaisly at home, add flavor to everything today!
Get the Recipe: In-N-Out Animal Sauce

Sonic Ocean Water

Sonic ocean water in a mason jar with a pink straw and more in the background.
Sonic Ocean Water. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Say hello to a perfect, at-home rendition of Sonic’s iconic Ocean Water. This copycat recipe brings you that irresistible combination of coconut and sprite, with a dazzling blue color that’s bound to bring back memories of Sonic drive-ins. It’s a fun and easy way to create your own seaside escape, anytime, anywhere!
Get the Recipe: Sonic Ocean Water

Chipotle Corn Salsa

Craving the fresh and vibrant taste of Chipotle’s corn salsa? You’re in luck! Our copycat recipe brings that same deliciousness to your table. With its crisp corn kernels, diced peppers, and aromatic herbs, this salsa is a delightful accompaniment to your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. Prepare to be amazed by the homemade version!
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Corn Salsa

McDonalds Shamrock Shake

While you may be able to only find this shake at McDonald’s just before St. Patrick’s Day, it is a fabulous treat all year round. Make your own copycat Shamrock Shake at home any time you want.
Get the Recipe: McDonalds Shamrock Shake

Chick-Fil-A Sandwich

Copycat Chick-fil-A Sandwich. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Sandwich. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Prepare a juicy air fryer chicken sandwich at home anytime, with the help of this copycat Chick-Fil-A recipe! When you are craving a crispy chicken sandwich, this recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Sandwich

Dominos Hearty Marinara Sauce

Hearty marinara sauce is a delicious Italian sauce made with hand-crushed tomatoes, sautéed garlic and onion, rich olive oil, fresh basil, and flavorful Italian herbs.
Get the Recipe: Dominos Hearty Marinara Sauce

McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce Recipe

This McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce recipe has an incredibly balanced flavor of salty and spicy, with a delightful tang, and is so unbelievably versatile.
Get the Recipe: McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce Recipe

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Plate of orange chicken in a metal bowl from the top.
Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Everyone will love this tender chicken coated in orange flavor, just like Panda Express Orange Chicken. Each bite is bursting with flavor!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Orange Chicken

Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Love the Chipotle burrito bowl but want to save some money? Look no further! Our copycat Chipotle burrito bowl recipe gives you all the same flavors and ingredients at a fraction of the cost. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to recreate this tasty dish and enjoy it whenever the craving strikes.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Burrito Bowl

McDonald’s Biscuit Recipe

Make copycat McDonald’s biscuits for a comforting breakfast or dinner and dress them up with sweet or savory sides. They are the ultimate homemade buttermilk biscuit in versatility and light fluffy texture!
Get the Recipe: McDonald’s Biscuit Recipe

Taco Bell Nacho Fries Supreme

Nacho Fries Supreme. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.
Taco Bell Nacho Fries Supreme. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

These are nachos with spicy fries as a base and topped with taco meat, refried beans, nacho cheese, and more for a fun twist on classic nachos that is ready in 25 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Taco Bell Nacho Fries Supreme

Chipotle Black Beans

Love Chipotle’s black beans? Now you can make them at home with our Copycat Chipotle black beans recipe! These beans are packed with smoky flavors and a hint of spice, making them the perfect accompaniment to any Mexican-inspired meal.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Black Beans

Grilled Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

I am addicted to Chick-Fil-A nuggets, but I love to grill, so I’ve made a copycat version of grilled Chick-Fil-A nuggets using two (no longer) secret ingredients to make them extra juicy and well seasoned.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade

Closeup of a mug of frosted lemonade with a slice of lemon and two red straws.
Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

This Chick-fil-a Frosted Lemonade copycat recipe captures the essence of the beloved original in every sip! The smooth, creamy texture and the tangy-sweet burst of citrus are a match made in heaven. It’s like summer in a glass, ready in minutes, and perfect for satisfying your craving without leaving the house.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade

Popeye’s Coleslaw Recipe

This creamy, tangy Popeye’s coleslaw recipe tastes just like what you would order at the popular American fast food restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Popeye’s Coleslaw Recipe

McDonald’s Pancake Recipe (Hotcakes)

This McDonald’s pancake recipe brings a beloved fast food breakfast menu item into your own kitchen. These hotcakes are light and fluffy, with a buttery flavor you’ll love.
Get the Recipe: McDonald’s Pancake Recipe (Hotcakes)

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Crunchy tortillas are filled with taco meat and beans and smothered with gooey cheese and all your favorite taco toppings.
Get the Recipe: Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Chick-Fil-A Sunjoy

The Chick-Fil-A Sunjoy is the perfect summer refreshment, but you can make it at home for a lot less. With just two ingredients, you’ll love this homemade version.
Get the Recipe: Chick-Fil-A Sunjoy

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